Many monuments in Greater Cairo area are seriously at risk of being destroyed and in urgent need for restoration. To carry out the restoration work, it is essential to identify the characteristics of the originally used stones, causes of stone deterioration and the suitable repair techniques and materials.
This paper presents a sample of data obtained to characterize the properties of the ancient building stones of several buildings in Cairo. X-Ray Diffraction, (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscope, (SEM), were used to identify the chemical compositions and causes of deterioration of the building stones. Some physical and mechanical properties of the stones were determined by testing core samples extracted from the walls. Additionally, chemical analysis of soil and ground water, at different depths around the investigated structures, was performed.
The study showed that the main reason of stone deterioration is the rise of humidity due to population expansion. The damage starts at the outer face of the stones and penetrates deeper with time.